Tuesday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time
July 5, 2022
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/070522.cfm
Today, in God’s Lavish Mercy, a double-sided theme runs through our readings
Our first reading references idols of silver and gold, “the work of artisans, no god at all”.
The Responsorial Psalm describes in detail how the power of God’s creative Word contrasts to these mute and powerless idols.
Our God is in heaven; whatever God wills, God does. Their idols are silver and gold, the handiwork of men. R. Alleluia. They have mouths but speak not; they have eyes but see not; They have ears but hear not; they have noses but smell not. R. Alleluia. They have hands but feel not; they have feet but walk not. Their makers shall be like them, everyone that trusts in them. R. Alleluia
In today’s Gospel, we see the power of the Living Word, Jesus, to release the mute man from his demons. As we pray with this Gospel, we can think of the word “mute” in many ways.
Wherever truth, integrity, kindness and respect are stifled – whether in us or in others – God’s desire to speak to and through us is muted.
Sometimes we mute ourselves by burying our true voice under a blanket of pretenses, frivolities, excuses, or useless ambitions. We can mute others by our prejudices, judgements and indifference. And we can do it all so easily, like flipping a button on the TV remote!
Let’s pray to be amazed today, as were the Gospel crowds, at the power of Jesus to free the Word in us!
Poetry: In Silence by Thomas Merton
Be still.
Listen to the stones of the wall.
Be silent, they try
to speak your
name.
Listen
to the living walls.
Who are you?
Who
are you? Whose
silence are you?
Who (be quiet)
are you (as these stones
are quiet). Do not
think of what you are
still less of
what you may one day be.
Rather
be what you are (but who?)
be the unthinkable one
you do not know.
O be still, while
you are still alive,
and all things live around you
speaking (I do not hear)
to your own being,
speaking by the unknown
that is in you and in themselves.
“I will try, like them
to be my own silence:
and this is difficult. The whole
world is secretly on fire. The stones
burn, even the stones they burn me.
How can a man be still or
listen to all things burning?
How can he dare to sit with them
when all their silence is on fire?”
Music: Echo of Our Souls – Kerani
Some lovely instrumental music to unmute the Word as we pray.
Lavish Mercy 